Just when you think that they had invented everything that ever could be invented for making sailing easier, safer, faster or more comfortable, along come some new inventions.

Our Product of the Week is a combined block and tackle, excellent for certain applications. Not only is it elegant in design, but cutting out one more connection that can come apart when under stress must be considered a bonus for any yacht.

Another article talks about how ultrasonic antifouling has just become more viable with the introduction of digitisation. Then there are the students who have won a NASA competition by designing a flying catamaran for rescues, and ultrasonic antifouling has just become more viable with digitisation. Ignore student inventers at your peril, as, in another story, we remind readers that it was students who first came up with the idea of the ubiquitous RIB.

Boat shows are in the news, with Adelaide Boat Show opening today (Thursday) and the Sydney Boat show coming soon. Some great new boats featured this week - to consider purchasing, or may be just gloat over...get some ideas...

It is a Fijian seaman - who saved the lives of two yachties by diving overboard from his container ship and bringing them aboard after their yacht sank – who has won the prestigious International Maritime Organisation's 2010 Exceptional bravery award. It's an awe-inspiring story, and both rescued and rescuers tell their versions.

Lots of other news too - the Fifth Aegean Rally is about to set off, and one sailor tells his tale of sailing the pirate zone this year through the Gulf of Aden.

They weren't pirates, just common thugs, but the thieves who bashed heroic paraplegic solo sailor and film maker Mike Harker are still on the loose in St Maartin in the Caribbean. You may have seen Mike as an inspirational speaker at the last Sydney International Boat Show. It leaves St Maartin as not a good place to anchor your boat any time soon...

Sweet, and safe, sailing!

Nancy Knudsen, Editor

Jamie Dunross and Spirit of Rockingham - Update www.wa.yachting.org.au, Courageous quadriplegic yachtsman Jamie Dunros from Rockingham is about to commence his home run from Darwin, down the West Australian coastline in his quest to circumnavigate Australia.... [more]Share this story

Xc 38 nominated for European Yacht of the Year 2011 Sail-World Cruising, Anyone thinking of purchasing a new yacht, whether this week or anytime in the future, would have to consider those yachts which are at the cutting edge of yacht design - the prize-winners in their categories. 'The European Yacht of the Year 2011' will be presented for the eighth time in January 2011, and even a pre-nomination is a bonus for any new yacht design.... [more]Share this story

Beneteau First 30 - The evolution of the species Media Services, A little over 30 years have gone by since the launch of the First 30, which more or less imposed the ocean racer concept. It still has many aficionados today, continues to get some fine results in regattas and has a good quoted value in the second hand market.... [more]Share this story

Adelaide Boat Show begins Thursday BIA SA, Thousands of boating enthusiasts will converge at the Adelaide Convention Centre to experience the newest and greatest in marine equipment from Thursday 15 July until Sunday 18 July for the 2010 Adelaide Boat Show.... [more]Share this story

Jessica Watson to appear at 2010 Sydney International Boat Show BIA NSW, Australian teenager and inspiration to many, 17-year-old sailor, Jessica Watson is officially confirmed to be a special guest speaker at this year's Sydney International Boat Show.... [more]Share this story

Yachting NSW restructures towards new national model Jeni Bone, Yachting NSW has issued a statement to the state's affiliated member clubs with a message from the president, Geoff Davidson, that signals a total restructuring of the organisation – to be amalgamated into Yachting Australia offices – but also heralds a new national system to be revealed in the next 12 months.... [more]Share this story

Fifth Aegean Rally to start with 55 yachts, 18-30 July Nancy Knudsen, If you hurry, you could just get to Turkey in time to participate in the Fifth Aegean Yacht Rally cruising through the pristine waters of Turkey and Greece. 55 yachts are currently registered for the 18-30 July Rally. The Rally is organised by Setur Marinas, the well-known chain of marinas that sprout around the coastline of Turkey.... [more]Share this story

New Book, The RIB: Student experiment that spawned a new era in rescue Daniel Fisher, Western Mail/Sail-World, Next time you use your RIB dinghy, or have the misfortune to need a rescue craft, spare a thought for an innovative group of students who had a zany idea nearly 50 years ago that no-one believed would work. A student experiment with wood, rubber and 'whatever they could get their hands on' went on to help save thousands of sailors' lives, and end up as the ubiquitous yacht dinghy.... [more]Share this story

Elan's Impression 444 - Refined elegance Gael Moldan, Elan's new cruising model, the Impression 444 is a robust fast cruising yacht design that speaks refined elegance . The new model offers the pleasures of deluxe cruising and entertaining for family and friends whether it be day sailing, extended cruising - coastal or offshore - in true comfort and quality assurance.... [more]Share this story

Mauri Pro Sailing - The multi lingual online chandlery David Schmidt, Sourcing the right gear for your team and your boat can be tricky business. Proper experience can dictate the difference between an excellent choice and a poor finish on a racecourse or a lackluster cruising experience. Therefore, choosing the right chandlery quickly becomes as important as the equipment itself.... [more]Share this story

Marine Industry Opportunity with Burke Marine Media Services, Burke Marine has now been employing a team of people for nearly 40 years and are proud to say that many staff have been with them for literally decades. Priding themselves on good working marine and sailing knowledge, Burke are looking for a new person to join the force and contribute the next stage of knowledge and service to the company.... [more]Share this story

Sailing the Gulf of Aden - One cruiser's account Horace Costa,Yacht Online/ Sail-World, While all authorities, including the ISAF, recommend that yachts stay away from the Gulf of Aden, hundreds of yachts are making the transit by staying close to the Yemeni coastline where the Yemeni Coastguard controls the waters. Here cruising sailor Horace Costa, aboard deciBel, a 39ft aluminium yacht, tells his story of transiting the Gulf of Aden's 'Pirate Zone' in March this year.... [more]Share this story

Mike Harker tells of mugging in St Martin Mike Harker, Many readers will know the inspirational story of Mike Harker, the champion hang glider who had a near death experience, lay recovering for six years as a paraplegic, then became a long range cruising sailor, making popular documentaries while he sailed the world. Recently, as we reported earlier, the charismatic sailor was mugged on his sailing boat in St Martin, and here is his latest account:... [more]Share this story

Carbon emissions threaten fish populations ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Humanity's rising CO2 emissions could have a significant impact on the world's fish populations. Baby fish may become easy meat for predators as the world's oceans become more acidic due to CO2 fallout from human activity.... [more]Share this story

Product of the Week: the innovative 'MX' - block and shackle in one Ken Quant, Wichard's new and innovative 'MX' line of halyard shackles are designed to allow lines to run through them without the need for a block. They offer a lightweight, low-profile option to traditional blocks whenever a static 2:1 purchase or line re-direction is needed.... [more]Share this story

Exceptional Bravery Award to Fijian for rescuing leisure sailors Sail-World Cruising, A seaman from Fiji has been awarded the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) 2010 award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea. The award goes to 30-year-old Fourth Engineer James Fanifau for his heroism in the rescue of two sailors in the Pacific Ocean last year.... [more]Share this story

Rotorised catamaran wins NASA rescue competition Sail-World Cruising, The future for sailors who need to be rescued at sea could be very different if some extraordinary winning ideas by a group of innovative engineering students are adopted... [more]Share this story

Digital Ultrasonic Antifouling - a Green game changer?? Des Ryan, The introduction of digital ultrasonic antifouling may have changed the game for this green and simple method of antifouling. While the system was analogue, it was not only expensive, but chewed up much power. Digital is at least 20% lighter on power, and the price has reduced somewhat..... [more]Share this story

New PFDs for Australian Boaters Ursula Bishop, Personal flotation devices made to the new Australian Standard AS 4758 can now be sold and worn around the country. The National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC) has produced a point of sale brochure for retailers, dealers and the general public explaining the PFDs made to the new standard and what they mean. Copies can be attained from marine safety authorities or the NMSC.... [more]Share this story

Another cruising family completes another circumnavigation Tom Evans/Sail-World Cruising, Every day of every year there are brave cruising families setting out to sail unknown seas, many of them headed for circumnavigations, and many will exceed their planned voyage length. Every day of every year there are families returning home after life-enriching experiences, enjoyed as a family. The Hopkins family is one of these, as the following story by Tom Evans tells... [more]Share this story

Cruise and Stay at a Whitsundays Island resort Whitsunday Rent A Yacht, Want to cruise the exotic Whitsundays and enjoy a full tropical island experience at a Whitsunday Island resort? WRAY's Cruise-and-Stay packages combine relaxing days at the heavenly Daydream Island Resort and Spa with the exhilaration of skippering your choice of vessel from the WRAY fleet.... [more]Share this story

Beneteau Lagoon 400 arrival celebration - Sail and stay in style Whitsunday Rent A Yacht, WRAY is celebrating the arrival of its Beneteau Lagoon 400, the magnificent Angelique, with a very special Gold cruise-and-stay luxury package.... [more]Share this story

Watch for whales in the Whitsundays Whitsunday Rent A Yacht, Sail the Whitsundays in winter and you may spot humpback whales as they migrate north to calve and breed in the warm, sheltered Whitsunday waters.... [more]Share this story

Famed adventurer and cruising sailor brutally bashed and robbed Wanderlust 3/The Sailing Channel.TV, Mike Harker, famed adventurer, film maker and solo cruising sailor, is recovering from a brutal beating last week by two men who bordered Wanderlust 3 during the night and demanded cash. It was originally reported that Mike was in Guadeloupe located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, but it now appears he was in an anchorage in St Martin.... [more]Share this story

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